TRAVELING SLIM

I went on a trip which involved 3 airplane rides.  It is the first timeI traveled since I lost 130 pounds and boy is it a different experience. This time it was my luggage that was overweight!

 When I traveled by air I was never shaped so that I had to request a seat belt extender.  I did prefer being able to lift the arm between the seats to give my bottom more room.  Which was fine on a plane with no one next to me or a family member who didn't mind sharing a little extra space.  But there were a number of flights in my life where I was very crammed in and working hard throughout the flight to keep myself in my own space.

The other thing is the tray table.  I could use it if the person in front of me didn't recline. I didn't have much room to maneuver, but I could get it down and put a drink and a book on it.

The hardest thing of all was walking down the aisle.  Not the walking kinda sideways part; I am pretty graceful no matter my size.  No, it was the fellow passengers watching me approach with that "don't even think about sitting next to me and taking up my space" look.

This trip no one glared at me, I had no problem fitting the seat, using the tray table and was, frankly, surprised by how roomy my seat was.

It was a revelation to me to feel comfortable on a plane. I made a pledge to myself that if I sit next to a large person in a future flight I will raise the seat divider and do my best to make the trip pleasant for us both.

PASSPORT? CHECK!

Since I am traveling to Mexico for my weight loss surgery, I had to get a passport.  Gone are the days of my San Diego State youth when we took trips across the border to see the Jai Alai games or to buy cheap jewelry (I was not one to go down there to party - really, I wasn't) and then sit in line to get back across the border by showing our driver's license.

My first attempt to get the passport was denied because they didn't accept my birth certificate copy.  Back when I got a passport in the late 80's it was fine, but not anymore. So I had to get a new copy from Moscow Idaho were I was born, and start the process all over.  By then I was worried about the timing so I ended up spending even more money to expedite the order. 

It arrived yesterday.  Like everyone else, I hate my photo on it.  It is most unflattering. Even at my current weight I can take a better photo.  Oh, well.  Soon enough I won't look like the picture any more!